It is well known to use plier type devices for cracking the hard outer shells of consumable nuts. Various plier type devices are known for loosening and twisting caps from bottles and jars. Also, various bottle openers for prying caps from bottles are known. A combined nutcracker and bottle opener for removing plugs of bottles is disclosed in Borromeo U.S. Pat. No. Des 304,891 issued Dec. 5, 1989.
Apparent shortcomings of providing different devices for cracking nuts, twisting caps from bottles and prying caps from bottles, include costs of purchasing the different devices, storage requirements for the devices, and clutter on bar tops and tables. Pry-off type bottle caps commonly found on soft drink bottles and beer bottles in the U.S.A. are typically difficult to twist off, and when twist-off caps are pried off there is a danger of inadvertently breaking the top glass lip of the bottle. Observed shortcomings of the combined nutcracker and bottle opener of the Borromeo patent include relatively complex manufacture requiring multiple pinned connections and resultant cost, and a lack of disclosed utility for opening bottles by other than removing plugs therefrom.
Thus, what is sought is a combination nutcracker and bottle opener which is simple to manufacture, can incorporate elements for twisting and/or prying caps from bottles, and which can be incorporated into an aesthetically pleasing shape.